Moisture indicating and recording



1927 1,626 060 Apr! e. s. WITHAM. JR

MOISTURE IND'ICATING AND RECORDING Filed Jan. 26. 1922 s Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNEY 5 Sheets-Sheet' 2 INVENTOR, I 9.

BY 0km ATTORNEYS Ev Tw 9w. Ev

1927 Apr! 26 G. s. WITHAM, JR

MOISTURE INDICATING AND RECORDING Filed Jan, 26, 1922- April 26, 1927.

G s. WITHAM. JR

MOISTURE INDICATING AND RECORDING Filed Jan. 26, 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTCRNEYS 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 2 1927. ,Apnl G. s. WITHAM, JR

MOISTURE INDICATING AND RECORDING Filed Jan. 26.

ZUEVHEU I .2... f, I 1T I fi aw-u h April 26 1927. I

G. S. WITHAM, JR

MOISTURE INDICATING AND RECORDING Filed Jan. 26. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 2.5, $327.

tiNiTtlD STATES rt I 4 Advil O GEORGE STANFORD \VITHAM, JR., OF HUDSON FALLS. NEXV YORK.

MOISTURE INDICA'IING AND RECORDING.

Application filed January 26, 1922.

My invention is an improvement in devices for n'leas-uring moisture content and relates more particularly to methods and mechanism for measuring moisture content of solid materials, such for example. as textile paper or other sheets or webs. For example. in paper making by the usual method. the amount of heat required for the proper drying is arbitrarily determined. in accordance with the grade of paper being made, and the regulation of the heat is controlled by the back tender. who judges the moisture content of the web by the feel of the same. and the amount of steam admitted to the dryer. and the consequent temperature maintained therein. is regulated in accordance with his judgment. Obviously only a small proportion of the area of the web coming from the dryer can be tested. and the temperature of the dryer. and the tinal condition of the web. will be determined by the condition of a portion of the web which may be abnormally dry. or abnormally wet. in the former case the Web will not be suiticiently dry. while in the latter it may be overdried. giving in either case an interior product. In any event. the regulation is uncertain. and is dependent on the skill. and experience of the back tender. and on his ahi1 ity to judge the moisture content by the feel of the web. The web for this reason reaches the calender rolls in a condition. as regards moisture content. that is largely dependent on chance.

it has been proposed to control the ad mission of steam to drying rolls by the temperature of the rolls, therelov to maintain a uniform temperature throughout the drying operation. determined to degree by the grade of paper being made. The moisture content of a web of a selected grade. is not however a constant -factor. varying in accordance with many conditions. among which may be mentioned atmospheric. Hence a temperature that will properly dry :1 selected grade of paper under certain conditions at one time. may be insutticient. or may be more than sutlicient. under other conditions. It is obvious that with a known humidity. the requisite temperature for proper drying can be easily determined. and maintained regardless of varying conditions.

In accordance with the present invention. the moisture content o't an object. such as a trayelling web of material. is ascertained by passing air or a suitable other gas over Serial No. 531.863.

a section of the surface of the object and such gas will take up from the object more or less moisture depending upon the moisture content ot the surface ot' the object. Then by ascertaining the moisture content of the gas after such contact with the object. a reliable indication oi the moisture content of the object may be obtained. By applying such tests to ditlereut sections of the surface of the object through the movement of the object or by moving the point of application ot the gas. one may obtain a mean estimate of the tree moisture content of. the object. Thus. in connection with tests upon travelling paper webs. 'tor example. the moisture condition may be different in the center of the web than at: the sides and by taking tests at both the center and sides of the web. an accurate average may thus be determined.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is aside view of a part of a paper making machine. showing the application ot the tester.

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of an embodiment of tester.

Figure 3 is an end view of the same,

Figure 4C is a transverse vertical section,

Figure 4 is a top plan view of a portion of a modified form of tester. Figure 4 is a vertical section view of the parts shown in Figure 4.

Figure 5 is a front view ot a mounting for the tester, i

Figures 6 and 7 are similar views showing alternate mountings Figure 8 is a section on the line 88 of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a trout view of the indicating and recording mechanism.

Figure 10 is a similar view of a modified construction.

By way of example. the invpntion will be described as applied to the paper making industry. but it is to be understood. of course, that the invention is capable of use in various other applications.

In paper making by the usual process. as betore stated. the admission of steam to the drying rolls. that provides the heat of the drying mechanism. is regulated in accordance with the opinion 01 the back tender. as regards the moisture content of the paper. He judges wholly by the sense of touch. and can touch only a limited area of the web being dried. In the place of this uncertain and Variable test, I provided a testing de vice, which will give a more reliable and accurate indication of the condition ot the web. Such a testing device may be made adjustable across the web or over either or both faces thereof, and may be located at any point between the paper inakinu inachine and the calender rolls or reel. Suit.- able recording means may also be associated with the device for making perntiancnt records automatically ot the results o l the test As shown in Figure 1, the testing device may be arranged at any desired point. Jr preferred position it adjacent to the calender rolls as shown. The testing device which may be supported in any desired manner, and moved by any approved mechanism, comprises, as shown, in Figures 2, 3 and a, an open pan 1. having at the rear thereof a reservoir 2, for water. The pan, which is of any preferred dimensions. has at the open top thereof a transversely ex ending plate 3, and the said plate is spaced apart troin that wall of the pan remote from the tank as shown, or perforations may be provided at this point as shown in Figures l and l, for a purpose to be presently described. The tank is supplied with water by any suitable mechanism, which is connected thereto by inletand outlet pipes +l. and 5, and a substantially constant level o t water is maintained therein. The dry and wet bulbs. (S and 7 respectively, are similar. each consisting of. a series of tubes zrranged alongside each other, and each series of tubes is connected by a flexible tube 8 or 9 as the case may be. with recording mechanism indicated generally at 10. A wick 11 encloses the tubes of the wet bulb 7, and "he ends of the wick, as shown in Figure l. extend through a slot in the side wall of the pan adjacent to the tank, and into the liquid in the tank. By capillary attraction. a constant supply of liquid is carried to the wet bulb and evaporated, more or loss swittly. in accordance with atn'iospheric conditioi'rs. The paper web to be tested pas. over the open top of the pan. beinu s iced above the plate 3 and in order to provide for a uniform and homogeneous mixture ot air at the face of the web being; tested, i arrange a perforate pipe at that wall of the pan adjacent to the tank, and just below the level of the top of the plate 3. Factorring to Figure ii. it will be seen that the rear edge of the plate is oilset downwardly to extend beneath this pipe, and the pipe delivers gas between the web and the plate 3 moving toward the opposite edge of the pan. Here the gas passes between the edge of the plate and the pan wall. and bei'icath the plate, and passes out through ports 1 at that wall of the pan adjacent to the pipe 12. Any character of one suitable for the purpose may be used, and because oi this rnov- 1,eee,eee

ing current there is a uniform and homogeneous mixture at that taco ot the web be ing tested. The current of gas may be eupplicd by any suitable n'iethanisiu. through connections indicated at .i-l.

Thermostatic bulbs 6 and T may be of any standard form and. they may be suspendul within the interior of the instrun'ic-nt. the two sets of bulbs being independent ot each other. The bulbs (l are adapted, by means of flexible tubing, to indicate dry lllflliltll'tk tures. The bulbs '7, in contz ct with the wick 11 which communicates with the re:- rroir 2, indicate vet bulb temperatures. ll hen a current of gas. tor example air, supplied from the tube 12, passes over the top of the instrument between the plate 3 and the web i 1, L 1 i of material being tested. die gas absorbs moisture from the web ot' material and then follows the course iiulicated by the arrmvs in Figure at or Figure 4:, and comes in con tact with the wet and dry bulbs. For a given dry bulb ten'iperature, the wet bulb indication will be higher when the current of has is comparatively dry, than when this current is quite moist. using: standard tables. either the relative or the absolute humidity may be determined, depending upon whether uncoiulitioned or conditioned gas is used. with the tester.

In operation, when the web of paper to he tested is over the open side ot the pan, the moisture content thereof will affect the evaporation at the wet bulb, while the tUlilPQl'klture will affect the dry bulb. lly a co1u parison of the wet and dry bulb readings. and the use of charts and tables one i'uay ascertain the humidity oil the or air. The recording niechanisi'n 10 records the results of the indications. so that such results for any period may be easily determined. By means oil the improved testing derico. any part oi the web may be tested, and the tester is preiiirably mounted so that it can be moved transversely of the web. so that the web may be teJtcd thrmurhout its widih. In addition to recording the indication: of the wet and dry bulbs. i may ctmnect the bulbs with controlling mechanism for the dryer, as shown and described in my copending application, Serial bio. 5237. 28, tiled Feb. 1?, 1922, so that tl c dryer is controlled by the temperature and the humidity ot the web. Any preferred mechanism may be used for nioui'itinn' the tester to be moved trainiverscly of the web. and such n'iecliauisiu may be arranged so that the movement ol the tester is i'nanually controlled, or automatically by the movement of the web.

in the embodiment illustrated in him. and l the plate 3 is shown as extending; cu tirely across the top oi the pan '1. and a number oil perforations are provided as iudicated near the ed ot the pan pose oi permitting the coinpre other gas to pass below the plate 3, after it has been subjected to the action of the moist web of material.

In Figure the testing device indicated generally at 15 is supported by a bearing 16, which is mounted to move longitudinally of a cylindrical reservoir 17 supported in brackets 18 on the frame 19 ot' the paper making machine, at any desired point on said frame, as for instance adjacent to the calender rolls. The reservoir 17 is longi- (ndinally slotted on its upper :tace, and the wick 20 of the testing device extends through the slot into the water in the magazine. Re- :lerring to Figure 5, it will be noticed that the bearing 16 is a T, the lateral branch 21 thereof being the outer member of a telescoping connection, whose inner member is connected with the testing device. The members are adjustable with respect to each other, and are held in adjusted position, by any suitable means, as for instance friction between the parts. A screw 22 is journaled co-axially ot' the reservoir, and nuts 25} are connected with the bearing, and engage the screw, so that when the screw is turned the bearing will be moved longitudinally of said screw. A. hand wheel 24. is connected with one end of the screw, and a lock nut 25 is mounted on the screw adjacent to the hand wheel. for holding the screw in adjusted position. The reservoir is adjustable angularly in the brackets 18, so that the angle of the open top of the tester with respect to the horizontal may be varied, and the adjustment at 21 permits the tester to be moved nearer to or "farther away from the reservoir. ater is supplied to the reser voir by means of a pipe 26, and an overflow 27 is provided, at the level at which it is desired to maintain the liquid in the reservoir. The pipe 28 which supplies the gas to the tester is connected by a flexible pipe 29 with a suitable source of supply. This pipe passes under a pulley 30 on the machine frame. and over a counter-weighted pulley 31, above the pulley 30. The flexible tubes 32 which connect the bulbs with the record ing mechanism pass around similar pulleys $33 and 34. and it will be obvious that when the tester moves away from the source of ga supply and from the recording instrument. the pulleys 31 and 84 will be moved downward. while when the tester moves toward the source ot.- gas supply. the pulleys will move upward, taking up the slack in the hose and the tubes. th this arrangement. as the web travels toward the cal ender rolls. the tester may he moved transversely thereof. at suitable interval to test the web throughout its width.

In Figure 6, a construction is shown, wherein the tester is moved by an electric motor indicated at 35, the said motor being geared to the screw 36 which moves the tester, by a worm gear connection indicated at 37. The construction is otherwise the same as that shown in Figure 5, and the mo tor may be arranged to operate continuously. and to move the tester continuously from side to side Oil the web, or it may be arranged to operate at intervals, to move the tester at specified intervals over selected distances. The motor is mounted on a bracket 38 supported by the frame 39 of the machine.

In Figures 7 and 8 there is shown an embtuliment, wherein the tester 40 is connected with the bearing ll in the usual manner. which in turn is mounted to move on the reservoir l2. The bearing however, is a split bearing, and it may be clamped on the reservoir. by means or a set screw 48, whereby to hold it in adjusted position. lVith this arrangement, the hearing may be adjusted angularly on the reservoir, as well as longitudinally thereol. and by means oi the set screw 41-3 may be held in adjusted position. The reservoir is mounted in brackets ll on the lrame 4-5 of the paper making machine. in Figure 5) the indicating and recording mechanism tor the wet and dry bulb temperatures is shown. The said mechanism in dirated at It) is o'l' usual COIlSl'lllCtlOll, having hands or pointers it) and 50, for indicating and recording the wet and dry bulb temperatures on cards, which are mounted bebind the transparent front of the case. Each pointer carries a. pen, which traces .a line on the card. and the cards are appropriately marked .so that the variations in the lines traced may be easily determined. The line traced by the pointer 50 records the temporal ure. while that traced by the pointer 45), when considered .in conjunction with that traced by pointer 50, gives an indication of the luunidity. and by proper regulation. the lines traced by the pens may be caused to maintain any desired relation.

In Figure 10 there is shown an alternate form of indicating and recording mechanism, wherein a single pen or pointer is used. In this arrangement, the case 51 correspmnls to the case 10 of Figure 9. The recording pen or pointer may be coupled with either of he bulbs, in the present instance with the dry bulb. The wet bulb is coupled with an arm 53. and the arm and the pen are connected by a link Fri which is pivoted to the pen, and has a pin and slot connection with the arm. With this arrangement a mean curve is traced. the shape of the curve deiending upon both the temperature and the humidity ot the web o t material being tested. ly properly regulating the temperature. the mean line may be caused to be traced at the desired point.

Ordinarily there is a considerable quantity o t fuzz on the face of the web and this fuzz is scraped oil by the edges of the pan. and to facilitate its removal from the pan, I hinge the plate 3 to the pipe 12 shown, so that web is held slightly above the edges ot he pan and does not contact therewith. 'lhe scrapers are of a length correspond ing to the length of the pan and it will be noticed that there is a recess indicated at between each scraper and the pan tor *atching the tfuzz which is removed by the scraper.

It will be understood that the invention is equally applicable to other objects, such as textile webs for example, and that various chai in the details which have seen here in described and illustrated in order to explain the nature of the invention may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In paper making machines, a hrnnidity and temperature indicating and recording device including wet and if bulb elements, and means for moving said elen'ients across and adjacent to a face of the web of paper to nd teinindiczire and record the humidity 2., peratnre at any desired point along such face.

2. In mechanism for measruring the moisture content of a material, the combination of containing means adapted to confine gas in contact with a portion of said. material scparately from the atmosphere surrounding said material, means for directing a current or gas through said containing means for contact with said portion ot' the material, and humidity measuring means comprising a sensitive element arranged in said current of beyond the region oi? contact of the latter with said material.

8. In paper making machines, zv humidity and temperature indicating and recording deviceincluding wet and dry bulb elements, means for inov'i g ,1 .id elements across and adjacent to a taco ot 1e web of paper, means for directing a lion (ll g at the I If "l rel adjacent to said eleniei'its, and means tor musing this gas to conic in contact with the wet and dry bulb elements.

In paper making machines, a hnn'iidity and temperature indicating and recording device including vet and dry bulb elements, means for moving said elements ad acent to a taco of said web, means for directing a flow of gas at the tiiace of the web adjacent to the said elements, means for causing this gas to come in contact with said elements and for shielding the said elci'nents from the current of gas until after it has come in con tact with the web of paper.

5. A humidity and temperature i'idicat- Leaeoeo ing tilt recording device for paper makii'lg V inc wet I l comprising a tester, carrying a 1 col 7 '1 i and a (hi3 bulb indicatii'ig and 'ing mechanism; means connecting necmniem with said bulbs whereby the inidity and the temperature are recorded; n means for supporting the tester to peri movement thereoi il'ttlSVlSGlY out the traveling web and adjacc it thereto.

6, :ln :1 huiniditv and ten'iperature inditing and recording device for paper male ing machines, an open pan. wet and dry bulb elements carried by said pan, a wick associated with the wet bulb element, and 1 ans for supporting and moving said pan adjacentto one taco of the web oi paper, said neans including a reservoir extending transversely oi? the web and into which said wicl: is adapted to extend.

T. In a humidity' and tempeature indicating and recording device for paper making machines, an open pan. wet and dry nib elements carried by said pan, :1 wick associated with the vet bulb element, and means tor supporting and moving said pan aljricent to one face of the web of paper, 'd means inclui'ling a reservoir extending nsversel v of the web and into which said adapted to extend, a screw mounted to rotate within the reservoir, and a nut on the pan engaging the screw for moving said pan when the screw is turned.

8. In humidity and temperature indicating and recording device for paper malting machines, a wet bulb element and a dry bulb element, a wick associated with the wet bulb element. and means for supporting and n'ioving said elements across one face of the web of paper, said means including a reservoir extending transversely of the web and into which said wick is adapted to extend.

9. In a humidity and temperature indicating and recording device for paper making ma :hinee. awet bulb element and a dry bull cl uncut, a wick associated with the wet bulb element. and means t'or supporting and n'ioving said elen'ient-s across one face oi. the web of vapor, said means including a reservoir extending tr: nsverselv ot the web and into which said wick adapted to extend, a screw mounted to rotate within the reservoir, and a not associated with the screw tor moving the elements when the screw is turned.

10. in a hinnidity and temperature indieating and recording l'l'lQCllttfilSHl for paper making machines, on open pan adapted to be arranged vith. its open side adjacent to the web of paper, wet andv dry bulb elements carried by said pan, means for directing a current oi? adjacent to the face of the web and -flowing from one side of the pan to the other, and means for thereafter ausing said current of gas to come in contact" lit with the wet and dry bulb elements, whereby these elements are caused to respond to changes in humidity and temperature.

11. In mechanism for measuring the moisture content of a material, the combination of an open sided container having its open side arranged against and substantially closed by the surface of said material for confining a current of gas in contact with said material separately from the atmosphere surrounding said material, means for directing a current of gas through said couiainer, and humidity measuring means comprising wet and dry sensitive elements arranged in said gas current beyond the region of contact of the latter with said material.

l2. In a humidity and temperature indicating and recording device for paper making machines, an open pan adapted to be moved adjacent to one face of the web, wet and dry bulb elements mounted within said pan, a plate in the pan spaced apart from one edge thereof to provide a space between the web and the plate, and means for directing a flow of into the space between the web and the plate, the said plate being arranged so thereafter as to cause the gas to come in contact with said elements whereby said ele ments are caused to respond to changes in wet and dry bulb temperatures.

13. In a device of the character specified, the combination with the frame of a paper making machine of a reservoir supported transversely thereof, humidity and temperature indicating and recording mechanism including wet and dry bulb elements mounted on the reservoir, a wick for the wet bulb element, means for moving the said mechanism longitudinally of the reservoir from side to side of the frame, the wick of the wet bulb clement dipping into the reservoir.

l l. In a device of the character specified, the combination with the frame of the paper making mechanism of a reservoir supported transversely thereof, humidity and temperature indicating and recording mechanism including wet and dry bulb elements mounted on the reservoir, means for moving the said mechanism longitudinally of the reservoir from side to side of the frame, means in connection with the said mechanism for directing a flow of gas onto the face of the web adjacent to the said mechanism, flexible connections between said means and a source of supply, and counter-weighted mechanisms for retaining said flexible connections taut during the movement and the tester.

15. In paper making machines, humidity and temperature indicating and recording devices adapted to be moved adjacent to a face of the web to indicate and record the humidity and temperature at such face, and means for homogenizing the atmosphere between said devices and the face of the web.

16. In paper making machines, humidity and temperature indicating and recording devices adapted to be moved adjacent to a face of the web to indicate and record the humidity and temperature at such face, and means for homogenizing the atmosphere between said devices and the face of the web, comprising means for directing a uniformly distributed current of gas against the face of the web adjacent to the said devices.

17. A. material testing mechanism of the character described, comprising a conductor for gas having an opening arranged adjacent and adapted to be substantially closed by a portion of the surface of said material for subjecting a current of gas passing through said conductor to intimate contact with said material, means for conducting gas to said conductor for passage therethrough and humidity measuring means adapted to be subjected to said current of gas after contact of the same with said material.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GEORGE STANFORD VVITHAM, J R. 

